Red Bull will partner with Ford from 2026 as a technical partner when it comes to manufacturing the power units, as announced last Friday. After the false presentation of the RB19 in New York (they only showed the new decoration), Christian Horner, head of the team, expanded with the media in a digital meeting: “During the next three years there will be an electrical knowledge exchange, Ford is spending billions on electrification and that will be a key area in the power unit of 2026. So we will be able to keep up with the rest of the manufacturers in this section”, in reference to giants such as Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi or Renault, which already incorporate or will incorporate electrical solutions in their ranges of street cars.
“Strategically, it strengthens us. Could we have done it without Ford? Yes. But with Ford we will do better, absolutely. It is a commercial and technical exchange and we are happy with the result”, he explained about the agreement reached. He also appreciated the talks: “It was very quick, we started talking to Ford in the fall after Porsche and Honda, there was an immediate synergy. We both wanted to reach an agreement and we complemented each other, we didn’t step on each other. This partnership is strategic. Plus, it brings a big factory back to F1.”
It is, in any case, a contractual link that has nothing to do with the negotiations that took place at Red Bull with Porsche during the summer: the Germans wanted to buy up to 50% of the team. That hasn’t happened now. “It’s very different. This is a direct contract, there is no exchange of ownership or control of the business. It is a very direct relationship that both parties wanted. Ford wants to return to F1 and this is a good route for them, they don’t have to build the power unit from scratch, and we receive their skill and knowledge in the field of electric motors, “explains the British leader.
On horseback remains Honda, its engine partner until 2022 and which will continue to manage the power units privately in 2023, 2024 and 2025. “We have a great relationship with Honda, we have been very successful with them and it will end in 2025. We explore go further, but it became very complicated. That they have registered now does not mean that they will be there in 2026. Red Bull Powertrains’ 2026 program is focused on the relationship with Ford, although with the current rules we have a contract and a relationship with Honda to continue working on the engine until the end of 2025.
